(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to matable electrical connectors for establishing the circuits between pairs of connectors. In particular, the present invention is concerned with the mechanism by which matable connectors are maintained in assembled relationship.
(2) Prior Art
Electrical connectors of the general type described above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,406 issued Jan. 20, 1976 for an Electrical Connector Block Assembly Having Overcenter Locking, which patent is assigned to the same assignee as this patent application. The above noted patent is hereby incorporated by reference. The above noted patent contains an excellent discussion of the requirements associated with mating of electrical connectors, particularly those electrical connectors which are utilized in automotive vehicles. That patent also contains a description of the prior art and shows a particular system for overcoming the disadvantages noted in the prior art. That patent also contains a full discussion of the requirements for securing proper mating of electrical connections and the desirability of providing an electrical connector which gives all the desired mating characteristics while permitting easy unmating of such connectors when separation of the connectors is desired.
Additionally, another electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,624 issued May 31, 1977 for Locking Structure For Electrical Connectors, which patent is assigned to the same assignee as this application. That patent is also incorporated by reference and teaches an overcenter locking structure having a cantilevered beam which rides up one ramp and down another. In accordance with the disclosed structure, both intended and unintended unmating can be achieved by application of the same required force pulling the two electrical connectors apart. Thus, the double ramp configuration insures that at least a minimum connecting force is used thus providing for a good electrical connection. Unfortunately, the force required for undesired unmating is not substantially larger than that required for desired unmating. These are some of the problems this invention overcomes.